Article-controlled transfer mechanism



oct. 17, 195o WQ E, SAXE 2,525,953

ARTICLE-commun TRANSFER mcHANIsu Filed nay 15, 1948 'f Patented oci. 17, 195o ARTICLE -CONTROLLED TRANSFER ME CHANISM Walter E. Saxe, Pasadena, Calif., assignor to The Conveyor Company, Inc., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application May 15, 1948, Serial No. 27,260

3 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for loading upon railroad cars or the like various types of crates, such as lettuce crates, and similar packages.

Heretofore, it has been the practice to convey crates and other containers to points adjacent freight cars, but it has then been necessary for attendants to transfer the crates by some manual operation into any given freight car or to independent conveying means delivering them into the freight car.

It is an object of this invention to provide a car loading mechanism which will automatically discharge a crate or the like from an advancing conveyor when the conveyor brings the crate or other package to a station opposite the car into which it is to be loaded.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a mechanism provided with a plurality of stations opposite which a plurality of freight cars may be respectively spotted so that successive crates being moved by the conveying means may be discharged therefrom into any given car by the simple expedient of positioning -a control device in the path of the crates or other receptacles at any station which an attendant may select for the loading of such successive articles.

An incidental object is to provide in such an arrangement for the automatic actuation by each article of the control device as the article reaches the respective station.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide an unloading mechanism wherein power operating means is located at the station from which successive receptacles are to be discharged, such power mechanism being automatically energized through a control device which is adapted to be automatically actuated by each receptacle as it reaches the discharge station.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide an automatically operable kick-off member which, when actuated, will propel each receptacle from the conveying means when the discharge station is reached, and it is also an object to actuate such kick-off member through the receptacle itself by way of a control means which an attendant may place in a controlling position when he so desires.

Other objects, and the various features of thisl invention, will become apparent to those skilled in the conveyor art upon reference to the following specication and the accompanying drawing wherein one embodiment of the invention is disclosed by way of example.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan view illustrating diagrammatically the arrangement of a conveyor mechanism with unloading means disposed in accordance with this invention so as to serve a plurality of freight cars to be loaded;

Fig. 2 is a cross section through the conveyor means as indicated by the line 2--2 of Fig. l, a discharge device of this invention being disclosed principally in elevation;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevation as viewed from the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and showing the discharge means of Fig. 2 at an angle of about 90 from the position of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation taken from the line 4 4 of Fig. 2, parts being broken away and illustrating a control means used at each station, a valve member being shown in vertical section; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation taken approximately from the line 4 4 of Fig. 2 and showing the actuating member of the control means in a different position from that of Fig. 4, and alsol showing a slightly modiiied form of the control means.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 illustrates a string of railroad freight cars I5 mounted on tracks I6 alongside a loading dock I'I upon which an elongated, continuously operating conveyor structure I8 is positioned parallel to the cars I5. The conveyor structure I3 passes to and through a plurality of loading stations I9 at each of which there is mounted a discharge device in the form of an ejector 2D which serves to push a crate C or other receptacle from the conveyor structure I8 onto short, inclinedroller conveyors 2l or other conventional discharge conveyors so that each crate C or other receptacles will be loaded into the respective car I5, The continuously operating conveyor structure I8 and the ejectors 20 are supported upon appropriate standards 22 including various legs 23 and transverse rails 2li. The conveyor I8 comprises advancing, endless conveyor chains 25 disposed in suitable channel guides 2B arranged `in pairs as best illustrated in Fig. 2 and carried upon the transverse rails 2li. Each endless conveyor chain is driven in any appropriate manner, the returning chain length. lying.

below the driving chain length. The conveyor chains 25 may be of conventional smooth-link construction, so that `the crate C or other articles may be easily discharged transversely therefrom by the ejectors 2D, and a conventional drive means in the formof sprockets 2l and a prime mover 28 (Fig. l) may be employed to advance 3 them in the direction of the arrows 23 of Figs. l and 3.

Each ejector mechanism 23 is shown as having the orm of a pivoted frame comprising two vertical arms 33 and an ejector head 32 extending transversely between the arms 33 as best seen in Fig. 3, this frame being pneumatically operated from a cylinder 33 containing a piston 34, the air supplied to the cylinder 33 being governed by a valve 35 in a valve housing 36, the valve 35 being under the control of a cam 45. As seen in Fig. 3 vertical bars 42 provide support for the valve housing 35 and for a stub shaft 44 upon which the cam 4l) is mounted for rocking movement from right to left as viewed in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. The cam 46 as seen in Fig. 4 is provided with an upstanding stud 45 which terminates below the level of the conveyor i8 and is adapted to receive thereon a hollow actuating arm 46 which is adapt-ed to be engaged by a crate C or other article as it is moved by the conveyor i3 in the direction of the arrow 29, whereby to actuate the valve 35 for energizing the piston 34 to motivate the ejector head 32 into engagement with the crate C and discharge it from the Ichains 25 of the conveyor i3 onto the roller type discharge conveyor 2l. In the form of Fig. 5, the cam 43 may be provided with a xed actuating arm 45a, and for this purpose the cam contour will be somewhat different from that of Fig 4, as later to be explained in connection with the description of the valve operation.

In order that the piston 34 in the cylinder 33 may be actuated in accordance with movements of the air valve 35 under control of the cam 43, the lower ends of the arms 3G carrying the ejector head 32 are pivotally mounted upon the respective standard 22 by being fixed to a sleeve 55 which is journaled upon a bearing shaft l (Figs. 2 and 3) whose ends are bound to the legs 23 of the respective standard 22 as by U-bolt clamps 52. For the purpose of operatively connecting the arms 35 and the ejector head 32 oi' each ejector 3l) with the piston 34 in its cylinder 33, a bearing 54 is provided at an intermediate position between the arms 36, and this bearing has pivotally connected therewith the upper end of a piston rod 55 which leads into the cylinder 33 and is attached to the piston 34. The bearing 54 is mounted on the arms 3D by means of a cross arm 56 spanning the distance between the arms 36 connected thereto. such mounting being effected as by bolts 51, and the lower portion of the bear- 54 being also secured as by bolts 53 (Fig. 2) to an adjacent portion of a corresponding cross plate 59 extending between the arms 35 and serving to stiften the resultant frame.

As best illustrated in Fig. 2, the upper end of the cylinder 33 is closed by a head 30 through which the piston rod 55 projects and the lower end of the cylinder 33 is closed by a head 32 having an extension 53 which is pivoted, as by a pin 64, to a bracket 65 mounted upon the lower portions of .the vertical bars 42 of the respective standard Thus, when the piston 34 is forced down pneiirnatically it causes the arms and the ejector head 32 of the respective ejector to be forced from the full line position oi Fig. 2 to the broken position whereby to discharge the crate C or other articles from the conveyor chains 25 to the inclined roller type conveyor 2l. Incidental swinging movement of the cylinder 33 and the piston rod 55 is permitted by the mounting of the cylinder on the pivot pin 34 and the pivotal mounting of the upper end of the piston rod 55 on the bearing 54.

For the purpose of transmitting air under pressure from the air valve 35 to the pneumatic cylinder 33 for movement of the piston 34, an air hose 66 leads from the top of the valve housing 33 to the lower head 62 of the cylinder 33, and a second hose 58 leads from the lower p0rtion of the valve housing 36 to the upper head 66 of the cylinder 33. Actuating air under pressure s led to the valve housing 36 by a line 16 and feeds a valve chamber 'l2 which, under appropriate conditions, communicates respectively with the lines 66 and 66. In the form of valve illustrated in Fig. 4, a reduced shank 13 carries at its lower end a valve head T4 and at its upper end a valve head l5, both being appropriately packed as indicated, and from the upper head 15 a packed actuating stem 16 projects through y the upper end of the valve housing 36 into position for engagement and actuation by the control cam 49 which is adapted to be rocked upon the stub shaft 44 previously described.

The valve 35 is normally urged upward into the position illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 by a strong spring 'i8 disposed in a well 79 in the bottom oi the valve housing 36. In this uppermost position, air supplied under pressure to the supply line 'i6 is conducted through the hose 66 to the underside of the piston 14 for the purpose of projecting the piston rod 55 and raising the ejector heads 32 to the inoperative position shown in full lines in Fig. 2. When a crate C moving on the conveyor i5 strikes the upstanding actuating arm 45 and moves it t0 a position somewhat as indicated in its broken line position of Fig. 4, so that the cam 4l] depresses the valve stern 'i6 and the valve 35, the piston head 15 then covers the port to the hose 66 and the lower piston head 'i4 exposes the port to the hose 68 so that the piston 34 in the pneumatic cylinder 33 is forceably moved downward and the ejector head 32 is forceably moved to the broken line position of Fig. 2 to eject the crate C from the conveyor I8 onto the short conveyor 2l. As the piston 34 moves downward, the line 66 is bled in any appropriate manner such as that diagrammatically indicated by the bleeder port 86 provided in the valve housing 36. Similarly, upon upward movement of the piston 34, the line 68 may be bled as indicated by a bleeder port 82 in the lower portion of the valve housing 36,

A form of control cam 46 seen in Fig. 4 is symmetrically constructed so that rocking to either right or left would have the same effect upon the valve stem 16. I-Iere, the middle point 84 of the cam is representative of the uppermost position of the valve 35 and the stem 76. It is this position to which the cam is returned after discharge of the crate C or other article. This return may be effected automatically by the spring 'i8 in the lower part of the valve housing 36, or by any other means operating upon the cam 4G to eiect Such return to insure movement of the ejector head 32 to its inoperative position. With such a construction it is immaterial which face of the cam 4i] is directed toward the ejector 20.

However, with the particular type of cam of Fig. 4, the tubular actuating arm 46 must be removed from the stud 45 when it is desired to load articles from the conveyor I8 into a car farther down the loading dock Il. Such removal is necessary in order to clear the path of the crate C when it passes through a given loading station i6, inasmuch as the position of the cam 40, when the ejector head 32 is in its inoperative position, is that in which the stud 45 is disposed vertically.

Should it be desired to employ an actuating arm 45a as seen in Fig. 5 where the arm is shown integral with the cam 40, the contour of the cam may be changed so that a portion 85 indicated at one end of the cam is shaped to actuate the valve stem 'I6 and its valve 35 in the same way that the portion of the cam 4 of Fig. 4 indicated at 85a is shaped. However, the opposite end of the cam 40 of Fig. 5 is formed on a uniform radius as indicated at 86, which radius is substantially that of themiddle portion 84 of both cams. Consequently, when the actuating arm 46a is moved to the right from its upstanding or operative position, as seen in Fig. 5, the valve stem 76 is not depressed, but remains in its elevated position when the actuating arm 45a is being moved to its inoperative position and while it remains in such inoperative position, which position is shown in full lines in Fig. 5. If desired, a small detent 85 may be formed in the end of the cam so as to receive the upper end of the valve stem 76 and insure positive retention of the cam through the medium of such detent and the valve stem. With this construction also, the path of the crate C at any given station I9 is quickly cleared by an attendant.

Operation From the foregoing description, it is apparent that, as a crate C or other article moves along the conveyor I8, whether by the driving of the chains 25, or by gravity descent, if the conveyor I3 be an inclined type, such movement of theI depression of the valve 35 results in downward i movement oi the valve head .75 to cut off the flow of air under pressure to the hose 66 and to supply such air under pressure to the hose 5B with the result that the piston 34 is driven downward in the pneumatic cylinder 33, thereby causing the piston rod 55 to pull the ejector head 32 downward through the arms 30 with suicient force to eject or kick the crate C from the conveyor I8 onto the inclined roller conveyor 2l by which it is carried into the respective freight car I5.

As soon as the actuating arm 45 or 45a is freed by the crate C or other article the spring 18, or other means as above indicated, automatically returns the cam 49 from the valve actuating position to its normal position of Fig. 4, in which position the parts remain until actuated by another crate C or other-article.

When one freight car I5 has been lled and it is desired to pass the articles to be loaded through any given station I9 to another station I9, the respective actuating arm is removed .from its stud 45, when the apparatus of Fig. 4 is being employed, or the actuating arm 45a is moved from the broken line position to the full line position of Fig. 5, whereby to clear the path of the crates C desired to be moved to a more remote station.

inasmuch as modications of the generic improvement herein disclosed will become apparent to those skilled in this art, it is intended to cover all such forms as fall within the scope of the claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination in a conveyor system for the selective distribution of articles: an elongated conveyor for simultaneously advancing a plurality of articles to be distributed; discharge means disposed adjacent said conveyor at a loading station along said conveyor remote from a location where said articles are placed upon said conveyor, said discharge means including an article ejector; a piston connected Vwith said ejector to actuate the samefor discharging articles from said conveyor at said loading station into means to be loaded; a cylinder housing said piston; valve means including a valve stem for controlling uid supplied under pressure to said cylinder; a pivoted cam disposed for engagement with said stem; and a normally upstanding arm carried by said cam and extending into the path of advancing articles on said conveyor for engagement by an advancing article to actuate said cam and valve means and cause said ejector to discharge said article when it reaches said loading station.

2. A combination as in claim 1 wherein said normally upstanding arm is adapted to be bodily removed from said cam and the path of said article to permit continued travel of said article on said elongated conveyor.

3. A combination as in claim l wherein said pivoted cam has an inoperative portion formed on a short radius to provide forswinging of said arm `in one direction into a retracted inoperative position without actuation of said valve stem, said cam having an operative portion of longer radius to depress said valve stem upon swinging of said arm in the opposite direction upon actuation of said arm by an advancing article.

WALTER E. SAXE.

REFERENCES CITED rihe following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 584,027 Wilkinson June 8, 1897 1,898,037 Dietz Feb. 21, 1933 2,363,920 Young et al. Nov. 28, 1944 

